Though he has been retired since 2010, the former Braves manager still seemed right at home.

"This is fun for me," said Cox, 71, who managed the Future stars in the exhibition game against the Major Leaguers, the first of its kind at the home of the Braves' Double-A affiliate. "It's fun to come down to the Minor Leagues and manage a game like this."

He also managed the Future stars in last year's game at Gwinnett.

"I think the kids appreciate somebody who's old and been around the game," Cox said. "I get my baseball fix in with this. Going cold turkey would have been hard. I get enough baseball to satisfy me for a while."

Cox, still a consultant with the Braves organization, won 2,504 games as a Major League manager, most of those with the Braves, who he led to the 1995 World Series title. Cox said he liked what he saw of the Future stars, who worked out here on Friday night.

"They're enthusiastic, energetic and talented," he said. "I think they realize this is a process. You've got to have some patience." Cox didn't want to single out any of the prospects as ones he particularly liked. "There's quite a few guys," he said. "You'll see."

Michael Christensen is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.